BIGGER THAN LIFE IMAX PROTESTS VIOLENT CG FILM SHOWING ON ITS SCREENS.

Byline: Bob Strauss Film Writer

If Ben Stassen considered what he did to be art, he'd be caught up in a classic case of artistic differences.

Instead, what the USC-educated, Belgian producer and director does seem to have going with IMAX Corp. is a free-expression-vs.-brand-image conflict that would be comical if the two parties weren't taking it so seriously. Of course, for that very reason, some may view it as even more absurd.

``Look, I know this isn't 'Lawrence of Arabia,' '' Stassen says of his latest effort, the 3-D, computer-animated, large-format featurette ``Haunted Castle.'' ``But with the advent of IMAX 3-D theaters in commercial multiplexes, there's been a great demand for more traditional, dramatic storytelling films. Unfortunately, we do not have the production tools to do a straight dramatic film yet. We cannot shoot synchronized sound; it's just a nightmare to make these films.

``But I think it's our responsibility right now to make sure that, even if people come out of the theater saying the story sucks, they at least feel they've had an experience they haven't seen before. I'm the first to realize that there's a lot to criticize, but we have to make sure that there is still life in this format until we can make the movies better.''

So, Stassen figured, why not a 40-minute film about a young rock musician who explores the title edifice and the demonic dungeons and purgatories beneath it? His Brussels-based company nWave Pictures, the world's leading producer and distributor of motion-simulator ride films, has been working its way into the giant-screen, IMAX-projected market with such titles as ``Alien Adventure'' and ``3-D Mania: Encounters in the Third Dimension.''

``Haunted Castle'' looks like a relatively slow-moving video game. It's about as gory as your average theme park Halloween maze. It's rated PG.

And it has been attacked by Canada-based IMAX for threatening the corporation's family entertainment image. A Dec. 5 letter, faxed by IMAX network group president Mary Pat Ryan to managers of the 200-odd theaters that lease or own IMAX equipment around the world, expressed strong concerns about the film's scenes of violence and torture.

Additionally, the letter stated, ``While each theater has the right to make its own programming decisions, that right must be balanced against the rights inherent in the trademark license,'' along with other language that both exhibitors and Stassen viewed as thinly veiled attempts to coerce censorship. IMAX, which also produces films for its large-screen system, additionally declined to exhibit ``Haunted Castle'' in the corporation's 14 owned-and-operated venues.

``It has nothing to do with censorship,'' says Ryan, who primarily wants exhibitors to display prominent warning signs about ``Haunted Castle's'' content. ``It has completely to do with protecting customers' expectations from our brand.''

But that, to Stassen, is part of the problem. In his view, large-format films should not always be thought of as appropriate for children.

``It's not the kind of film one would expect in an IMAX theater?'' he says rhetorically. ``You know what? Maybe that's a very good thing. I'm not saying that the other IMAX films are bad, but maybe people want to see something else for a change.

``It's really strange. Audiences worldwide have come to identify the IMAX experience as a very narrow type of experience, as a wildlife, destination or space film. Why? Because, for 25 years, that's all that's been offered. For some reason, I don't know why, IMAX feels that they have to preserve that. If they feel that the identity of the brand is wholesome family entertainment, my question to them is why, then, did they send 3-D projectors to multiplexes? It doesn't make sense; multiplexes are not going to turn into education centers. Multiplexes are places for entertainment, period. How can they ask people who pay $2.7 million to put one of their projector systems in a place like Universal CityWalk to only show family entertainment?''

Stassen notes that while IMAX theaters have traditionally been associated with museums and other educational institutions, the majority of recently built venues have been in standard multiplexes such as those operated by Cineplex Odeon and Edwards Cinemas in Southern California.

But Ryan, praising such productions as Disney's ``Fantasia 2000'' and IMAX's own upcoming rock concert film ``All Access,'' notes that the company encourages diversity of product.

``There should be a wide range of entertainment in IMAX theaters,'' she says. ``We're excited when something expresses new content. In fact, I loved the concept and the trailer for 'Haunted Castle'; that's why I was so concerned and disappointed when I saw it. You can do great commercial entertainment without showing torture.''

Torture or not, Stassen takes the position that IMAX should be grateful that somebody is contributing to the relatively small supply of movies available in their format. Indeed, some exhibitors have begun showing standard-size features such as the violent ``Gladiator'' and ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' on their IMAX screens to fill the gap.

``Only a few large-screen films are made every year,'' Stassen notes. ``This is going to be the only 3-D film that comes out this year. So what do we tell these theaters that are supporting us but have no products? They need many more products than one company like ours can supply, and the fact that the equipment manufacturer doesn't even support us is mind-boggling.''

``Let me turn that question around,'' Ryan counters. ``Ben is a passionate filmmaker, so why couldn't he have made this film without the violence, so it could also be shown at IMAX theaters that are part of institutions?''

Whether the controversy and somewhat stronger content of ``Haunted Castle'' makes it profitable or not, Stassen is clearly committed to pushing the boundaries of large-format films forward. He just hopes his goal achieves commercial viability before it's too late.

``I think this could be the entertainment platform of this new century, because it is immersive and intimate at the same time,'' Stassen evangelizes. ``Two dimensions are bigger than life; with 3-D, you get close to it. It's a very great storytelling device; we don't have the tools to do it properly yet, but that will come. But we are in a very crucial period right now. Like Cinerama, the whole thing could collapse and these theaters could disappear.

``Everything is in the future because we haven't done anything yet,'' he adds when asked about large format's artistic potential. ``We haven't even scratched the surface, and I really mean it.''

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3 photos

Photo: (1 -- 3) Images in the computer-generated ``Haunted Castle'' on IMAX screens include the ghoulish face, top right, of ``Mr. D,'' a k a, the devil; the glowing apparition of Mephisto, above, Mr. D's lieutenant.